Miniature rose plant named ‘SAVaras’

ABSTRACT

‘SAVaras’ is a new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant noted for its extremely vigorous and floriferous habit. Flowers may be a medium or medium to deep purple-red with a white reverse. The flowers last well on the plant and a mature plant can be constantly in bloom during the growing season. ‘SAVaras’ has a mild raspberry fragrance.

CROSS REFERENCE

The rose variety of this same breeding program that most closely resembles this new invention is ‘SAVachild’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,175. ‘SAVachild’ and this new invention are related and can trace many of their like qualities to a rose identified as ‘Little Darling’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,581. In ‘SAVachild’, ‘Little Darling’ is found in the 2^(nd), 3^(rd), and 4^(th) generations back. In this new invention, ‘Little Darling’ is found twice in the 3^(rd) generation back and twice in the 4^(th) generation back. The qualities from ‘Little Darling’ are vigor, profuse blooming, flowers having exhibition form, moderate fragrance, above average disease resistance.

The resemblances of this new invention to ‘SAVachild’, visually, both have a shade of red in the coloring of their petals; the blooms of both varieties are near the same size, when measured open at exhibition stage, around 1¾-inches; both plants are upright growing, uniformly branched, profuse blooming miniature roses.

The differences, visually, are that this new invention has a near solid pink/purple-red upper surface and a white reverse, and ‘SAVachild’ has primarily white petals edged with deep pink. Other distinguishing differences between ‘SAVachild’ and this new invention may be seen in the plant habits and petal counts: This new invention is compact and grows 15 to 20 inches tall while ‘SAVachild’ has a somewhat more open plant habit, growing 18 to 24 inches tall. This new invention may have anywhere from 23 to 50 petals, depending on the season or cycle of bloom (first bloom cycle usually yields the most petals while conditions such as heat and dryness tend to yield fewer petals) while ‘SAVachild’ uniformly has 18 to 22 petals.

Genus: Rosa hybrida ‘minima’.

Varietal denomination: ‘SAVaras’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of hardy, bush type plant of the miniature rose class, that was created by me by crossing, as seed parent, the rose known as ‘BENmfig’ (not patented), and, as pollen parent, an unnamed, unpatented and unintroduced seedling from this same breeding program: ‘ROzorina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,321) by ‘Baby Katie’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,471). The varietal denomination of this new rose is ‘SAVaras’.

Idyllic goals of this breeding program were to produce unique miniature roses with the qualities of vigor, disease resistance and fragrance, along with hardiness and having exhibition, hybrid tea form blooms in abundance from spring through late fall. Roses chosen as parents for this program need to have two or more of these qualities, preferably with each quality represented at least once between the two parents.

The seed parent is a vigorous and profuse blooming pink blend, miniature rose with good disease resistance, good hybrid tea form, moderate fragrance and is a profuse bloomer. The pollen parent was a vigorous and profuse blooming orange-red miniature with very good exhibition, hybrid tea form and moderate fragrance. This cross was successful, producing this new invention, ‘SAVaras’, which is a vigorous and profuse bloomer with flowers having exhibition form, moderate fragrance and above average disease resistance.

The resemblance of ‘SAVaras’ to its parents:

-   -   All are noted as having flowers of very good exhibition form.     -   All are noted for flowers borne in abundance, continually         throughout the growing season.     -   All have very good vigor.     -   At various times of the season, the purple-red coloring of the         flowers of ‘SAVaras’ are similar to colors found on the flowers         of its seed parent, ‘BENmfig’, especially in fertile soil and         cooler weather when both are apt to display various tones of         Magenta Rose.     -   ‘SAVaras’ and its pollen parent are both noted as compact, well         branched plants.

‘SAVaras’ is easily distinguished from its parents:

-   -   ‘SAVaras’ is a bi-colored rose with a medium to deep purple-red         upper surface and a white reverse. The colors of the blooms of         the seed parent are mostly lighter shades of purple-red and its         lower petal surfaces are the same colors as its upper petal         surfaces and the pollen parent has orange-red flowers of solid         coloring.     -   ‘SAVaras’ has many more petals than either its pollen parent or         seed parent.     -   The seed parent, ‘BENmfig’, grows to 3 feet tall and wide. The         pollen parent grows 14 to 18 inches tall and up to 15 inches         wide. ‘SAVaras’ grows 15 to 20 inches tall and only 10 to 14         inches wide.

Asexual reproduction by propagation by cuttings of the new variety as performed in Essex County, Mass., and San Luis Obispo County, Calif., shows that the forgoing and other distinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established and transmitted through successive propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of hardy, dwarf, bush type rose of the miniature class. The characteristics distinguishing it from all other varieties of which I am aware are its unique combination of flower color and fade, length of time on the plant, flower form, fragrance, petal count, plant habit and size, and degree of vigor and disease resistance. More specifically, those distinguishing characteristics are

-   -   Flowers of a medium to dark purple-red upper with a white         reverse and the upper aging to a Magenta Rose     -   Flowers lasting 11 to 22 days on the plant, dependant mostly on         temperature     -   Hybrid tea form buds that open to exhibition form flowers     -   Mild raspberry fragrance and other fragrances to a lesser degree     -   A petal count averaging 34 but varying from 50 to 23, depending         on the season and cycle of bloom     -   An upright, well-branched, vigorous and compact plant growing 15         to 20 inches tall and 10 to 14 inches wide     -   Flowers borne in abundance and continuously in the growing         season on mature plants     -   A plant with above average disease resistance

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color photograph, taken in November, shows specimens of the buds and flowers of ‘SAVaras’ in different stages of development, taken from plants as grown in plastic covered greenhouses, in pots, in a mix of peat moss and coconut bark, with a controlled liquid feed system, in San Luis Obispo County, Calif.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations, measurements, values and comparisons describe plants of the miniature rose class of Rosa hybrida minima, ‘SAVaras’, in the months of October and November. Plants used for this purpose were 8 to 18 month old, growing in 3½-inch plastic pots, in a mix of peat moss and coconut bark under a controlled liquid feed system, under plastic in San Luis Obispo County, Calif. 3 and 4 year old plants used for this purpose had been grown in a mixture of peat moss and vermiculite and were transferred into the ground in Essex County, Mass., three months prior to this evaluation. When a significant difference was found between plants grown in the different locations, it has been so noted. My detailed description is presented here in outline form. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.), except where common terms of color are used.

-   Parentage:     -   -   I. Seed parent.—‘BENmfig’ (not patented).         -   II. Pollen parent.—An unnamed, unpatented and unintroduced             seedling of ‘ROzorina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,321), by ‘Baby             Katie’, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,471). -   Botanical classification: Rosa hybrida ‘minima’. -   Varietal denomination: ‘SAVaras’. -   Commercial class: Miniature; pot rose. -   Commercial name: Iced Raspberry.

Flowers

-   Blooming habit: Fast repeat to continuous on mature plants, from     late spring to late fall. -   Borne: Primarily in small clusters in the spring and primarily     singly during the rest of its growing season. -   Bud:     -   -   I. Size.— 7/16-inch long and ⅞-inch diameter just before the             sepals divide.         -   II. Form.—Ovate with a rounded-truncate base and an             acuminate apex.         -   III. Color when sepals first divide.—A. Near 56D, a very             light shade of pink, on the California greenhouse grown             plants. B. Near 58A, Indian Lake, on the Massachusetts             outdoor grown plants. -   Sepals:     -   -   I. Color outer surface.—A. On the California greenhouse             grown plants, 138A, a medium green, and basal area and up             through center, a medium to light yellow-green, near 145B,             and the very tips of the outer sepals and any foliar             appendages flushed with near 183A. B. On the Massachusetts             grown plants, near 144B, Scheele's Green, and the entire             outer sepals including the tips appendages are flushed with             near 183A.         -   II. Color inner surface.—Near 138A with a basal area near             144C, medium yellow-green.         -   III. Appearance outer surface.—Matte.         -   IV. Texture outer surface.—Peppered with glands and             stipitate glands but decreasing to no glands near and at the             apex.         -   V. Texture inner surface.—A light covering of down.         -   VI. Characteristics.—Extend ½-inch beyond the tip of the             bud, just before they divide. A. Shape of the 3 outer             sepals: ovate-lanceolate. B. Shape of the 2 inner sepals:             lanceolate. C. Apices of the 3 outermost sepals: lanceolate             with short foliar appendages. D. Apices of the 2 innermost             sepals: acuminate with smaller, short foliar appendages. E.             Margins of the 2 outermost sepals: ciliate and with glands             and stipitate glands and 1 or 2 foliar appendages along each             side. 1. Foliar appendages of outer sepals: usually not more             than 2 foliar appendages along either margin and most often             they are fusiform. 2. Occasionally one of the foliar             appendages may be filiform or there may be 2 filiform foliar             appendages along one margin with 1 or 2 fusiform foliar             appendages along the other margin. F. Margins of the 2             innermost sepals: ciliate and with glands appearing near and             at the apex. G. Margins of the one sepal in-between the             outer and inner: 1. One margin is as the inner sepals and             one margin is as the outer sepals. 2. The one margin like             those of the outer sepals may have none or one foliar             appendage and that one is always filiform.         -   VII. Size of the 2 outermost sepals differ as measured on             each full open bloom.—One being 5/16-inch wide and             15/16-inch long, and the other being ¼-inch wide and 1             1/32-inch long, and on the same flower.         -   VIII. Size of the 2 innermost sepals as measured on a full             open bloom.—Near equal, 17/64-inch wide and 15/16-inch long.         -   IX. Size of the one sepal in-between on a full open bloom.—             9/32-inch wide and 1 1/16-inch long.         -   X. Sepals roll back.—With the petals until blooms are half             open, then ahead of the petals until they are parallel with             the peduncle.         -   XI. Sepals drop.—With the peduncle, after the petals drop. -   Bloom:     -   -   I. Form.—Flat upper profile, from start to finish and a             convex lower profile that flattens as the flower opens and             matures.         -   II. Size at exhibition stage.—Not symmetrical, 1 3/16 by             1½-inches across by ⅞-inch deep.         -   III. Size when fully expanded.—A. On the California             greenhouse grown plants, size varies between 1⅝ by 1⅞-inches             to 2 by 2 3/16-inches across and ⅞-inch deep. B. When             outdoor Massachusetts grown, 1½-inches across and 9/16-inch             deep.         -   IV. Quantity of petals.—A. 34 to 50 on the California             greenhouse grown plants. B. 23 to 24 on the Massachusetts             grown plants.         -   V. Quantity of petaloids.—A. 9 to 13 on the California grown             plants. B. 11 on the Massachusetts grown plants.         -   VI. Fragrance.—Slight to moderate; noticeable raspberry with             other mild fragrances.         -   VII. Lasting time on plant.—6 to 8 days from when sepal             divide to start of discoloration of outer petals; 11 to 22             days from when the sepals divide, to petal drop.         -   VIII. Lasting quality as cut flower.—Not tested. -   Petals:     -   -   I. Texture.—Outside velvety; inside satiny.         -   II. Form.—A. Outer petals — broad spatulate. B. Intermediate             petals — obcordate. C. Inner petals — ovato-oblong.         -   III. Apex.—A. Outer petals — cuspidate. B. Intermediate             petals — entire. C. Inner petals — acute.         -   IV. Base of petals.—Obtuse.         -   V. Arrangement of petals.—Over-lapping, not evenly spaced,             some appear one on top of another.         -   VI. Size of outermost petals from full open flower.—Each of             the 5 outer petals are a different size, averaging about             ⅞-inch wide and 1 1/16-inches long; petals of one flower may             be: A. Petal one: 25/32-inch wide by 1-inch long. B. Petal             two: 29/32-inch wide by 1 1/16-inches long. C. Petal three:             15/16-inch wide by 1 3/16-inches long. D. Petal four:             63/64-inch wide by 1⅛-inches long. E. Petal five: ⅞-inch             wide by 1 5/16-inch long.         -   VII. Color.—A. When petals first unfurl the predominant             color of upper petal surfaces is a medium red, between 54A             to 54B and 64C to 64D, on the California greenhouse grown             plants and near 60D, from the Red-Purple Group, when             Massachusetts outdoor grown. The basal areas of both are             white, near 155D and equaling one-half to two-thirds of the             petal area. The reverse of the outer petals is near 56D, a             very light shade of pink, on the California greenhouse grown             plants and between 62D and 69D, a very light color from the             Red-Purple Group, on the Massachusetts outdoor grown plants.             Both have a basal area and a streak up into the center of             the petal of white, near 155D and blending into the 56D or             62D to 69D respectively. B. As the flower ages, the             predominant color of the upper surface gradually lightens to             a color between 57C and 66C, from the Red-Purple Group. In             cooler temperatures, such as those found in Massachusetts in             October and November, instead of becoming lighter, the             predominant color gradually deepens to a color between 74B             to 74C and 66C, from the Red-Purple Group. The basal area             decreases in size to one-fourth or less of the outer petals             and to about one-third of the inner petals, remaining near             155D. The reverse of all petals is white, near 155D. C.             General Tonality: medium red with a white reverse on             California Greenhouse grown plants; medium purple-red and             medium to deep purple-red, with a white reverse when grown             outdoors in Massachusetts. D. Tonality from a distance:             medium red on California, greenhouse grown plants; medium to             deep purple-red when grown outdoors in Massachusetts. -   Receptacle:     -   -   I. Diameter.—A. 9/32-inch on California greenhouse grown             plants. B. 7/32-inch when outdoor Massachusetts grown.         -   II. Height.—A. 9/32 to 10/32-inch on California greenhouse             grown plants. B. 7/32-inch when outdoor Massachusetts grown.         -   III. Profile.—Funnel shaped.         -   IV. Color.—A. Scheele's Green, near 143A, on California             greenhouse grown plants. B. 143A to 144A when outdoor             Massachusetts grown.         -   V. Appearance.—Semi-glossy.         -   VI. Texture.—Smooth; glabrous. -   Peduncle:     -   -   I. Length.—A. 1 5/16-inches on California greenhouse grown             plants. B. 15/16-inch when outdoor Massachusetts grown.         -   II. Diameter.—Uniformly 3/32-inch.         -   III. Aspect.—Straight.         -   IV. Strength.—Strong.         -   V. Color.—A. Between 146D and 138C on California greenhouse             grown plants. B. Near 144A when outdoor Massachusetts grown.         -   VI. Appearance.—Semi-glossy.         -   VII. Texture.—The surface is peppered with hairs and glands             and with some small, soft prickles approaching the juncture             with the receptacle.         -   VIII. Foliar appendages at the base.—A. There is a single or             pair of leaflets at the base of the peduncle, at its             juncture with the stem. B. Each appendage is either a single             leaflet, a 3 leaflet-leaf or a tri-lobed leaf. C. Stipules             on these appendages are attached the entire length or nearly             the entire length of the petiole.

Reproductive Organs

-   Stamens:     -   -   I. Arrangement.—Regularly arranged along upper outer edge of             the receptacle.         -   II. Quantity.—A. 25 to 30 on California greenhouse grown             plants. B. 37 when outdoor Massachusetts grown.         -   III. Filaments.—A. Length: 5/16-inch but most often curved             over so the anther is below the stigmas. B. Color: white,             near 155A.         -   IV. Color of anthers.—11D, when outdoor Massachusetts grown             (not recorded on California greenhouse grown plants).         -   V. Pollen.—A. Color: near 164A, when outdoor Massachusetts             grown (not recorded on California greenhouse grown             plants). B. Quantity: very little. C. Virility: viral. -   Pistils:     -   -   I. Quantity.—About 16.         -   II. Styles.—A. Aspect: straight. B. Length: 6/32 to             7/32-inch, when outdoor Massachusetts grown (not recorded on             California greenhouse grown plants). C. Color: 142C and             144C, when outdoor Massachusetts grown (not recorded on             California greenhouse grown plants).         -   II. Color of stigmas.—White, near 155A, when outdoor             Massachusetts grown (not recorded on California greenhouse             grown plants). -   Hips: None observed.

Plant

-   Habit: Upright; uniformly and well branched; compact. -   Growth: Vigorous.     -   -   I. Size of mature plant.—15 to 20-inches tall and 10 to             14-inches wide.         -   II. Length of flowering stem.—Variable, 2½ to 5½-inches when             borne singly and ¾-inch long when originating in a cluster. -   Foliage:     -   -   I. Type.—Pinnately compound of 5 leaflets and occasionally 7             or 3 leaflets.         -   II. Quantity of leaves per stem.—Most common on flowering             stem is 5 leaves, irrespective of the stem length.         -   III. Length of internodes.—Variable, 11/16 to 1 5/16-inches.         -   IV. Size of mature leaf on 3 -year old plants.—3 to             3½-inches from stem to tip when measured along the rachis,             3½-inches is the most common length.         -   V. Leaflets.—A. Shape: ovate with an acute apex; the base             may be either ovate or rounded. B. Size of mature terminal             leaflet: up to 1⅜-inches long and 13/16-inch wide at its             widest point.         -   VI. Color of new foliage.—A. Adaxial surface: 1. On the             California greenhouse grown plants dark green, between 147A             and 139A, and the margins and veins being flushed near 187A,             from the Greyed-Purple Group and the very tips of the             serrates are near 185B, a little lighter color also from the             Greyed-Purple Group. 2. On outdoor Massachusetts grown             plants, darker green, near 137B with the margins near 187A             and the tips of the serrates near 183A. B. Abaxial             surface: 1. On California greenhouse grown plants between             191A, a medium green from the Greyed-Green Group, and 144B,             Scheele's Green, flushed with near 185B. 2. On outdoor             Massachusetts grown plants medium green, near 138B, and             flushed lightly with near 185B and heavily flushed in             November.         -   VII. Color of older foliage.—(Observations are from the             California greenhouse grown plants; there are currently no             mature leaves to observe on the outdoor Massachusetts grown             plants.) Generally the anthocyanin coloring is absent from             the mature leaflets. A. Adaxial surface: very dark green,             near 139A. B. Abaxial surface: near 191A and the primary and             secondary lateral veins are near 139A.         -   VIII. Appearance of leaflet surfaces.—A. Adaxial surface:             semi-glossy; the main vein is recessed completely and the             primary lateral veins are recessed somewhat. B. Abaxial             surface: matte; the main vein protrudes entirely, the             primary lateral veins protrude about half-way, and the             secondary laterals protrude only slightly.         -   IX. Texture of the leaflet surfaces.—A. Adaxial surface:             glabrous. B. Abaxial surface: leathery.         -   X. Leaflet margins.—Serration is double. -   Petiole:     -   -   I. Size.— 13/16-inch to 1-inch long; 3/32-inch diameter.         -   II. Color on young leaf.—A. Adaxial surface: 1. On             California greenhouse grown plants flushed to appear 183A, a             medium shade from the Greyed-Purple Group, along the ridges             and in the groove. 2. When grown outdoors in Massachusetts,             very dark from the Greyed-Purple Group, near 187A along the             ridge and 187B in the groove. B. Abaxial surface: 1. On             California Greenhouse grown plants, near 146C, a medium             yellow-green, at the base and becoming flushed with near             183B, progressing toward the rachis. 2. When grown outdoors             in Massachusetts, flushed to near 187B.         -   III. Color on old leaf.—A. Adaxial surface: ridges are near             137A; the recessed area starts at the base as a light green,             between 142A and 144D, and loses some of its green tone             becoming, near 138B, approaching the rachis and as it             becomes the groove of the petiole. B. Abaxial surface: the             crest of the underside is medium yellow-green, near 145A,             and blends into a medium green, near 137D along the sides. -   Rachis:     -   -   I. Size.—Varying from ½-inch to ⅝-inch long.         -   II. Color.—A. On California greenhouse grown plants, the             color of both surfaces of the rachis is the same as that             part of the petiole to which it is joined, with the groove             of the rachis being near 138B. B. When grown outdoors in             Massachusetts, the color of the rachis on the young leaves             was noted as different from that of the petiole, being a             very dark color from the Greyed-Purple Group, near 187A,             along the ridge and 187B in the groove; the reverse is             flushed near 187A.         -   III. Prickles.—The abaxial surface has 0 to 2 prickles of a             medium green, near 138B. -   Petiolules:     -   -   I. Size.—A. Length to terminal leaflet varies from ⅜-inch to             ⅝-inch. B. To the other leaflets the length is about             1/16-inch.         -   II. Color.—The same as that of the rachis with the exception             being on mature foliage on plants grown in plastic pots             outside in California there has been noted some flushing of             near 183A on the ridges of the adaxial side and the on the             entire abaxial surface.         -   III. Prickles.—On mature leaves, 1 prickle on the abaxial             side of the petiolule to the terminal leaflet. -   Stipules:     -   -   I. Size/form.—About ¼-inch attached; tips are angled out for             an additional 1/16 to 3/16-inch at about a 45° angle, are             slightly lunate and may be bowed by varying degrees toward             or away from the stem to which the leaf is attached. A.             Color: the adaxial surface is near 143A and blends into a             darker green, near 137A where the edges are curled under and             near 137B where the tips are angled out; the abaxial surface             is near 145A. B. Margins: when young, the margins are             straight and entire; as the leaf matures glands begin to             appear; serrates form beneath each gland becoming serrates             tipped with glands; when mature, 1 to 3 stipitate glands             appear between each of those gland-tipped serrates. -   Resistance: Slightly above average resistance to powdery mildew and     blackspot, above average resistance downy mildew and rust. -   Wood:     -   -   I. Texture.—New wood, glabrous; old wood, glabrous until             lenticels form, generally within the first nine months of             growth, that texture is corky.         -   II. Appearance.—New wood, semi-glossy; old wood,             semi-glossy.         -   III. Color.—New wood, medium green between 137B and 146B;             old wood, a medium yellow-green, near 146A to 146B;             lenticels are between 165A and 177B, from the Greyed-Orange             group.         -   IV. Diameter.—New flowering stems, 3/32-inch; old wood,             9/32-inch. -   Prickles:     -   -   I. Shape.—Straight and angled slightly down with a tear-drop             shaped base.         -   II. Length.—On main canes, 7/32 to 9/32-inch long; on             laterals and flowering stems, 1/32 to 7/32-inch.         -   III. Quantity.—On main canes, 5 or 6 in two inches of stem             length; on laterals and flowering stems, varying from none             to numerous, each stem having a unique count.         -   IV. Color.—Mature are near 166D; young prickles are near             183B. -   Hardiness: Tested hardy in zones 4 through 9, with winter protection     recommended for zones 6 and colder. Plants have held up well in heat     zones 10 through 1. 

1. A new and distinct variety of hardy rose plant of the miniature class is claimed, substantially as illustrated and described, characterized particularly as to novelty by the exceptionally good vigor of the plant and blooms, the distinctive color of its blooms, and the lasting quality of its blooms on the plant that is suitable for production from softwood cuttings in pots. 